We are sad to announce that another artist and storyteller has gone home to glory. Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the beloved Spongebob Squarepants cartoon, has died at age 57 after more than a year-long battle with ALS according to Variety.

Nickelodeon released a statement mourning the loss of one of their most impactful creators:

“We are incredibly saddened by the news that Steve Hillenburg has passed away following a battle with ALS,” Nickelodeon said in a statement. “He was a beloved friend and long-time creative partner to everyone at Nickelodeon, and our hearts go out to his entire family. Steve imbued ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere. His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will long stand as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination.”

Hillenburg began his relationship with the children’s network in 1993 with his work on Rocko’s Modern Life, that work continued until 1996. After that he began working on what would become Spongebob Squarepants and the show hit airwaves on July 17 1999. The series would go on to air almost 250 episodes during its run.